Residential Trash & Recycling

If you live in an apartment or multi-family complex...

Special dumpsters or carts should be provided for tenant trash and recycling. If you carry your recyclables to the recycling dumpster in a plastic bag, please dispose of the bag in the trash after emptying its contents into the recycling cart, or bring it to a retail outlet for recycling.

If you rent a house or part of a house...

Consult your landlord or lease agreement to determine who is responsible for trash and recycling removal. If you are responsible, homeowner options (below) apply.

If you are a homeowner...

Homeowners have the following two options for trash service:

1) Hire a Private Waste Hauler

Private waste haulers, licensed by the Amherst Board of Health, offer curbside trash and recycling collection (for a fee) to Amherst residents. The following haulers are licensed in Amherst for 2018:

Amherst Trucking

Duseau Trucking

Alternative Recycling

Triple T

Republic Services

Waste Management

USA Waste and Recycling

Your trash and recycling will not be picked up until you have a contract with a waste hauler.

Keep in mind the following guidelines:

Trash and recycling must be at the curb before 7 am each scheduled trash day.

Most private haulers pick up paper and mixed container recycling on alternate weeks based on their recycling collection calendars.

If your trash or recycling are not picked up as expected, contact your waste hauler to find out why.

Recycling bins should be provided by your hauler when your service starts. Bins are available for purchase at the Transfer Station and the Department of Public Works.

2) Pay-As-You-Throw Program at the Transfer Station

The Pay-As-You-Throw program is available to Amherst residents who generate a small quantity of trash and recycling and can transport it to the Amherst Transfer Station and Recycling Center as needed.

Participants agree to purchase and use only prepaid bags for trash. There is no cost for disposal of recyclable paper and mixed containers. Conscientious recycling can significantly reduce the amount of trash generated, reducing dependency on (and cost of) prepaid trash bags.

Organic Waste and Compost

Yard waste is banned from trash, and leaves are collected in the fall by the town. You can also bring leaves and grass clippings to the Transfer Station for no charge if you have a sticker.

Composting your food waste (along with yard waste) is a great way to reduce the trash you dispose of, and it keeps it out of the landfill, where it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. You can compost it yourself using a compost bin or pile (compost bins are available for purchase at the Transfer Station). If you're a beginner, use these helpful tips.

If you don't want to compost your food waste yourself, you have a couple of options:
1. Bring it to the Transfer Station (you'll need a sticker), where it gets collected weekly.
2. Pay for curbside organics collection. These companies offer regular collection and provide you with a kitchen pail and cart:Alternative Recycling offers bi-weekly collectionCity Compost offers weekly or bi-weekly collection, and they also drop off finished compost twice per year for no extra charge.

Special and Bulky Trash

Household clean-outs and renovations can produce bulky waste items such as appliances, computers, furniture, and mattresses.

In many cases your waste hauler will pick up bulky items from your curb for an additional fee. Call your hauler’s office for specifics.

Alternatively, if you have a Transfer Station Vehicle Sticker, you may bring bulky trash to the Transfer Station. Fees are charged for some items to cover a portion of the disposal cost, are payable by cash or check at the time of disposal. Copies of these fees can also be found at the Transfer Station and the Department of Public Works.

Contractors performing work for customers in Amherst may bring trash, construction, demolition materials, and recycling to the Transfer Station as long as they have a valid Commercial Vehicle Sticker.

​Commercial Recycling

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Recycling Regulations

Commercial establishments in Amherst, such as retail, office, restaurants, and hospitality, are required to adhere to state and municipal waste bans. This includes separating recyclables from trash, so that refuse contains no more than 5% recyclable material by volume.

​What recyclables should you be separating from the trash?

​Paper

Corrugated cardboard, paperboard, office paper, newspaper, and junk mail should all be recycled. Envelope windows, staples, and metal spirals can be included. Avoid recycling paper that is very wet, contaminated with food, or lined with plastic (such as hot drink cups).

Mixed Containers

Glass, steel, cartons (such as milk and juice), and aluminum containers, including cans, pans, and foil, should be recycled. Plastic containers of 2 gallons or less, that contained food, beverage, detergent, or personal care products should also be recycled. Do not recycle plastic cups or plastic bags, Styrofoam, or compostable containers.

​Food Waste

Food waste can make up a large percentage of refuse, especially in a restaurant. Consider diverting your food waste from your waste stream- it can reduce your trash collection bill, and has many positive environmental benefits. For more information about diverting food waste, contact Recycleworks.

About Amherst

The Town of Amherst, located in the lovely Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, is a diverse, inclusive community offering numerous educational and cultural opportunities.

Host to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the Town enjoys a tradition of open, professional, and high level of government services, quality education, support for open space and agriculture, and respect for its history.